Tall Floral Arrangement Tricks

Selecting Appropriate Materials

• The container you select must be tall and wide enough to support the weight of your flowers, but not too tall that it obscures the floral design you're creating. A good rule of thumb is that your container should be approximately one-third the height of the total measurement of your arrangement, and the width of your container at its base should be nearly as wide as the widest part of your floral arrangement. For best results, avoid using lightweight vases or containers that have small "feet" on the bottom, as these can upset the balance of your piece.

Support Materials

• If you are using silk flowers in your arrangements, you can use floral foam blocks in the bottom and along the sides of your container to secure your stems. If you are using fresh flowers, you will need to use a "frog," a self-contained water delivery system and floral stabilizer. Examples of slender, lightweight floral pieces include reeds, fine-leaf foliage, baby's breath and flowers with tall, sturdy stalks, such as zinnias, roses or lavender boughs.

Assembling Your Arrangement

• Begin assembling your arrangement by placing and securing the tallest, thickest floral stems first. This will help you balance the arrangement as you continue to build it. Always begin in the middle of your arrangement and alternate applying flowers to either side. If you are using floral foam, you can strategically place extra foam material in the arrangement to add weightless height, or use floral wire to build up the length of stems and make them tall and sturdy.

Finishing Touches

• Once you have your primary floral elements in place, you can fill in gaps with leafy greens and baby's breath to add fullness. You can also add height to the arrangement by tucking in long slender reeds, feather plumes or, if using silk flowers, lighted willow leaves.